21 Feb 2026

Famous 1990s play, Waiora, set to re-open

From Māpuna, 12:15 pm on 21 February 2026

Soon the 30th anniversary production of Waiora Te Ukaipo - The Homeland, written by Hone Kouka will open in Wellington and then Auckland. It's set in 1965 and tells the story of a whanau who move from the East Coast to the Deep South and the impacts of colonisation and intergenerational tensions. Hone Hurihanganui, who composed the original waiata and haka, returns for the new production and talks to Julian Wilcox about the play's relevance 30 years on.